Ore-separator



(No Model.)

J. A. OOOMBES.

ORB SEPARA'IOR. NOQ 288,550. Patented Nov. 13, 1883.

flare/112 N. PETERS. Pllniol-ilhogmphu. Wuhingmn. D. c.

* UNITED STATES 4 PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. COOMBES,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF T i JOHN HENDERSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ORE-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,550, dated November 13, 1883.

Application file d April 10, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J osnrn ALLISON CooMBEs, a citizen of the United States-residing at the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ore-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to air-exhaust apparatus for the separation of comminuted ores; andthe saidrinvention consists of an air-exhaust trunk having a suction-fan at the end of its horizontal branch and receiving the material to be treated at the bottom ofits ver' tical branch, the said vertical branch being provided with an automatically-acting disintegrator orpulverizing-wheel, which separates the material as it ascends the trunk, and the said horizontal. trunk-branch having a series of pockets or receptacles for the precious metals and an amalgam-coated abutment or plate located at the top of each pocket, all arranged and adapted to operate as will be hereinafter more fully described,and embraced in the claims. i

The accompanying drawing represents a Vertical sectional elevation of an air-exhaust apparatus for separating ores constructed according to my invention.

A represents the vertical, and B the horizontal, portion of the air-blast trunk, provided at its lower end with a feeding-hopper, G, and at the end of its horizontal branch with asuction-fan, O.

D is a slide, which enters the hopper and controls the amount of material, and also the draft entering the trunk.

H H are pockets or receptacles constructed in the bottom of the horizontal portion B of the trunk, and having hanging doors h, for the removal of the material accumulated in said pockets.

At the bottom end of the trunk is a box or concentrator, J, into which the particles too heavy to be carried by the blast are collected.

The object of this invention is to so construct and arrange an ore-separator that the fine or float gold will be saved.

Within the vertical portion A of the trunk is journaled a loosely-revolving closed cylinder, E, from the periphery of which project a number of blades, 6, placed rather close to V cylinder or disintegrator, as I term it, is

caused to revolve by the force of the ascending' current of air drawn up by the suction fan, and as it revolves with greater or less speed, accordingto the degree of suction, the blades thereof strike the ascending bodies. or masses of material and violently throw them against the sides of the trunk and the blades of the cylinder, whereby the mass is finely divided or pulverized and disintegrated. The thorough separation of the heavy metallic portions from the lighter earthy matter is by this means effected, so that the material, after passirig this disintegrator, is in a proper condition to either enter the pockets as metal or pass through the fan as pulp.

To prevent the cutting out of the curved end of the trunk by the impact of the ascend= ing grains, a smooth, hard steel plate is re movably secured in the angle, as shown at K, which, in addition to preventing the cutting through of the trunk, acts to direct the metalbearing particles in the direction it is desired they should takethat is, downward toward the pockets or receptacles and against the amalgam abutments placed at the edge of the pockets.

In order to save the fine flour metal, and also to assist in directing many particles of metal that might be carried over the pockets by the air-blast, copper plates coated with amalgam are removably secured at thetop rear end of the pockets, transversely across the trunk, as shown at F F. By this provision much fine precious metal too light to overcome the blast andenter the pockets is inter= cepted, and, by reason of the amalgam, retained upon the abutments or plates F F. These blades may be removed through the doors h, or otherwise, and the collected metal washed off.

The operation of the parts is as. follows: The.

comminuted material to be treated is uniformly fed into the hopper G, the volume, as also the draft'admitted to the trunk, being regulatedby the slide D. As the material passes downward or enters the trunk A it is acted on by the air, carried upward, and, coming in contact with the swiftly-revolving bladecylinder E, it is knocked about and disintegrated; then, passing upward, it strikes the de fleeting-plate K and is directed along the horizontal portion of the trunk. .The heaviest portions of the metal, whose gravity has barely been overcome by the suction-blast, after passing the bend B of the trunk, finds a comparatively quiet space or eddy just in advance of the first pocket, into which they at once drop and gradually enter the first pocket. The lighter particles, after passing the first abutment, F,

' find an eddy behind the same, into which they drop and enter the second pocket. The flying flour or flour metal, striking against the abutments F and F, is retained thereon by the amalgam coating, and is saved.

The disintegrator is placed a suitable distance above the hopper, and its blades extend to the walls of the trunk: The amalgam abutments extend a suitable distance above the bottom of the trunk, and stand slightly curvso that they can be removed, cleaned, and replaced through the doors in the pockets, or through openings in the top of the trunk.

I claim 1. In an ore-separator, a bladed cylinder or disintegrator, E, and suitable exhaust apparatus, in combination with the exhaust-trunk, as and for the purpose described.

2. In an ore-separator, the combination of the suction or exhaust fan, the vertical and horizontal trunk or tube A B, and the smooth steel plate K, removably secured in position in the curved part of the trunk, for the -purpose specified.

3. In an ore-separator, the combination of the horizontal trunk B, having pockets or receptacles to catch the precious metal, with the amalgam plates or abutments F F, placed adjacent to said pockets and removably secured in position, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, in an ore-separator, of the trunk A B, fan 0, disintegrating bladed cylinder E, pockets H H, and removable am al gain plates F F, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, in an ore'separator, of the trunk A B, fan 0, disintegrator E, pockets H, amalgam abutments F F, and deflecting shield or plate K, as and. for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH A. COOMBES. Witnesses:

A. E. H. JOHNSON, J. W. I-IAMTLTON JOHNSON. 

